I have a scooter and I'm not afraid to use it!

…and Glisan and Stark

Just when many people were considering building an ark, the skies cleared and temperature warmed. And the Fourth Estate was in the shop. Gosh, when did I ride last?

It was one of those rare occasions when I rode mostly just to ride. Okay, there was also some of the famous weirdness in these parts I’ve been meaning to document.

Someone once said the biggest advantage of homeownership was being able to paint your house purple if you wanted. Of course, that was in the days before Master Planned Communities and their CCRs specifying which three shades of beige are permissible. This one’s at NE 61st and E Burnside. It’s not the only one!

The blue house is across the street. As you can see, there’s no messing around—it’s blue.

Here’s an example of a 60s modern take on a church steeple. You can see it, like the rest of the building, is a bit frayed around the edges.

You won’t miss the Home Grown Garden Store as you drive by on Glisan. It’s only been open a short time.

The gas gauge was down to two bars, and the closest gas station was on 82nd (Or as the signs say, “82nd Avenue of Roses.” I had no idea there were 81 others…). I filled the tank, which you can do yourself in Oregon. Leaving the station, I spotted a scratched ‘n dented LX 150.

This is Gillian (hard “G” sound). I asked her about the pet carrier dangling from the bag hook. She was delivering it to a friend. No, there was no pet inside, though I suppose a small one wouldn’t strain the hook too badly.

The GTS full, I decided to do the same for my empty stomach at the Bipartisan Cafe on Stark. The place is full of presidential election memorabilia, and they specialize in pie. The daily soups are good, and the menu offers lots of choices for our vegan friends.

You’re seeing a reflection in one of the store windows. From where I stood taking the picture, Stark goes right.

Back on Stark, heading west, you’ll see Beet’s Auto Body.

Your eyes are not deceiving you. The interior is full of flowers.

This poor little Plymouth Neon has been turned into a planter. And no, Chrysler never offered the Neon as a convertible. Someone sawed the roof off. And I’m going to guess Beet’s has it because whoever sawed the roof off didn’t realize the body would collapse as soon as they opened a door.

Our last stop is the Coconut Cafe on Glisan. There are usually a few motorcycles parked out front, though the owner doesn’t seem to be a rider himself. There would be lots of room for a group of scooters, if one wanted to make it the meetup place for a group ride.

This appears to be a pleasant little community where people take art, color, and individuality pretty seriously. I loved the purple house and the blue one as well. However, I do not appreciate nor endorse contemporary ecclesiastical architecture. It always looks tatty. Gillian’s scooter seems to be a nice color purple. The Coconut Cafe looks like my kind of place too.

I have been going through a new phase of late, where it appears I have lost my appetite. This can only do me good. But after reading this little piece of yours, my first two-wheeled destination will be an orchard, specializing in pies.